You Better Shop Around

Savvy Shoppers

New Frying Pan Saves $20 -- Plus It Keeps The Stovetop Clean

For weeks, I searched for a lid for a new frying-sauteing pan and could find nothing in decent quality for less than $18. In fact, finding just a lid was almost impossible.

To improvise, I plopped a pizza pan on top of my cookware. At least, the tactic kept chicken moist while it simmered or prevented tomato sauce from splattering the top of the stove.

FOR THE RECORD - Published correction ran Friday, September 1, 2006.A blank photo caption in Thursday's Life section should have read: Simply Calphalon 12-inch jumbo fryer, $39.99 at Hecht's. (Text corrected.)

So, imagine how lucky I felt when I came across a special buy on a 12-inch jumbo fryer with a glass lid for $39.99 at Hecht's-Macy's in Patrick Henry Mall. The brand was Simply Calphalon. I snatched it up, heading for home with a glow in my pocketbook.

After showing my lucky find to husband, Ken, I stuck the still-boxed pan in a closet, thinking I would save it for the move to our new house. The old-fashioned chicken fryer, which can also be used for stir-fry dishes, chili and spaghetti sauces, measures a deep 31/2 inches. It features a tempered glass lid so you can keep an eye on your cooking, and its nonstick interior simplifies cleanup.

A couple weeks later, the shine on that good deal dulled considerably when I came across a lookalike "deep saute" Bialetti pan at Costco for $17.79. I looked at the sample pan setting on the shelf, thinking I could take the other one back and save more than $20.

The two pans weigh about the same, but there are a couple subtle differences. The handle on the Costco pan is slightly wider and is padded for a better grip.

The cheaper pan goes in the dishwasher, while the pricier one needs to be hand cleaned with soap and water. The Costco pan is also oven safe up to 400 degrees.

When I took the Calphalon fryer back to Hecht's, it was still on sale but for $10 more.

Wow, I thought to myself, I've saved enough money for at least four $5 meals at Wendy's, which is the humorous way we calculate the value of bargains in our household.

Savvy Shoppers is a weekly consumer feature on local deals. If you have an idea or suggestion, contact reporter Kathy Van Mullekom at 247-4781 or kvanmullekom@dailypress.com or reporter Lisa Deaderick at 247-4733 or ldeaderick@dailypress.com.